About the Book
Team Being is a book about creative collaboration—what it is, how it works and how to maximize chances of doing it well. The book is built upon years of experience working with thousands of nascent teams from education, business and government where participants were expected to generate results in formations from two to twenty-five people.
The book shares complex insights on collaboration combining direct observations of creative teams in action, extensive reviews of ground-breaking research in the field and insights from leaders of professional creative teams. Team Being goes beyond other teamwork books incorporating compelling insights and perspectives from psychodynamics, neuroscience and quantum physics, all of which help to illuminate the often-hidden forces at work in collaborative environments. The more aware leaders are of these forces, the more empowered they are to lead teams by influence rather than blind authority.
Learning how to work well with others is an inconvenience, not unlike what grammar is to writing. Teamwork is an essential skill for the 21st century work force, but there is currently no natural, convenient or effective place to learn it in most institutions of education.
Table of Contents:
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
PART ONE: Singularity
A Hero’s QuandaryThinking Inside the BoxPART TWO: Vulnerability
UncertaintyFearFailureAuthorityDifferencePART THREE: Conflict
RiskAbrasionPART FOUR: Interdependence
ChemistryCommitmentEmpathyTrustResilienceEPILOGUE: Team Being
NOTES
About the Author :
Gary Gemmill, Ph.D. is Professor Emeritus of Organizational Behavior at Syracuse University where he instructs, consults and does research on the psychodynamics of working together in collaborative creative teams. He also has a global consulting practice dealing with collaborative leadership and leadership development.
Michael Schoonmaker, Ph.D is Professor and Chairman of the Television-Radio-Film Department at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School. He is the author/co-author of the three previous books: Educating the Post-TV Generation; Unlocking the Moviemaking Mind; and Making Television Programs. His professional credits include managing roles in production with MTV and NBC.
Review :
If you have anything to do with forming teams at work or at home, this is an exciting book to read. Why? Since the inception of the United States, individualism has often been the hallmark of success. Yet, as work and life have become more complex, the need for teams has surpassed the need for individualism in nearly all endeavors. Here in this easy to read text is a path forward from the trite saying that there is "no I in TEAM” to effective team building. The authors provide a clear understanding of what needs to happen to move from individualism (singularity) to effective teams (Team Being). This book is foundational for modern living where teams have become essential for successful work and indeed life itself.
This book is filled with the most practical and eye-opening wisdom about human collaboration. It gives insights into the crucial social dynamics that make or break a team or group, so rarely articulated in such a clear way. “Team Being” goes far beyond the textbooks on groups and team performance, bringing in leading-edge insights from psychodynamic literature, neuroscience and physics, all of which enhancing our understanding of consciousness. Every chapter is a gem, shining with practical wisdom and grounded in experience and organizational examples. Team Being is ultimately a guidebook to authentic collaboration, pointing to the alchemy by which tensions, abrasion and human vulnerability play an integral role in enhancing fresh creativity and together meeting the challenges of the world around us.
Team Being provides astounding and much-needed insight into two of the most significant issues in our contemporary culture. Across today's hyper-connected economy, leaders bemoan a growing lack of face-to-face engagement and emotional connectedness, while others struggle with growing beyond established experiences and interpretations. The authors expertly draw on decades of experiential research to both identify the underlying dynamics and issues, as well as develop a culture centered on creative collaboration and teamwork, across virtually any organization or group.
Currently most organizations, their managers/executives and individuals face uncertainties associated with substantial challenges-- which upset the status quo. This book looks at an ingenious approach employing "creative collaboration" to cope with such challenges. The authors' diverse background enrich the possibilities associated with this approach.
This is an interesting and different way to look at teams that completely debunks conventional thinking. The authors explore the paradoxes and complexities of team life rather than propose a set of [too] simple how to-s and whys. They recognize the inherent need for individuals to acknowledge their singularity and to focus on team, and to do it at the same time. So instead of the oft used motto “there is no I in team”, they suggest an “and” focus; an inside focus on self and an outside focus on collaboration. Simple and brilliant, and as they would say, not so easy to do.
A thought-provoking book that delivers profound, new insights into the world of creative collaboration. This book clearly provides leaders with a road map for success that is pragmatic and applicable in any work setting. Gary and Michael have combined their deep expertise and talent to create a book that will develop and expand the readers understanding of creative collaboration and the complex forces at work in a collective setting.
Rarely is the term metamorphosis used to describe the evolution of team dynamics in the workplace. In the book Team Being, Gemmill and Schoonmaker re-imagine the power of creative collaboration in the future of work ecosystem by offering a future-forward roadmap for fueling a creative, agile and inclusive approach to organizational transformation. Gemmill and Schoonmaker examine the intricacies of individuals and their unique contribution to a powerful, meaningful and inclusive team experience, reinforcing that premise that differences, inclusion and belonging are critical accelerators to effectively leveraging the collective talent that exists in all organizations.
As an active Hollywood tv and film producer, I spend my days collaborating with some of the most brilliant creatives on Earth. But with great minds come great discrepancies in thought, ego, and sense of self – all traits that can derail a project, turning your next Oscar or Emmy winner into a muddy, unwatchable embarrassment. At the very heart of this risk is teamwork – or lack thereof. I’m thankful that Gary and Michael put together such a well-researched exploration into what it means to be an effective collaborator, using easily digestible, real-world stories backed up by compelling science. The lessons learned in this book will help you – like it did me - in any collaboration, whether you’re making a movie; working on a team project; or just trying to negotiate your complicated family life. If you like getting the most out of yourself and those around you, Team Being is an investment that will pay off creatively, emotionally, and financially many times over. I can’t recommend it enough.
Rarely a book comes along that casts a light on that intangible "something" that you know has been missing from every book you've ever read on a subject, and Team Being does just that for the subject of teamwork. Focusing on the real challenges undergirding teams and collaboration, such as chaos, conflict, risk, and abrasion, the authors focus on the surprising way these each benefit the the process of collaboration. Engaging and thought-provoking, this work thoughtfully dissects the mixed human attributes and emotions that lead to individuals engaging successfully in teamwork.
Decades of experience in fostering and studying teamwork and creative collaboration are evident every page of Team Being. Gemmill and Schoonmaker employ real-world examples and an expansive array of illustrations from across disciplines as they compose a compelling case for taking a holistic approach to cultivating this critically important element of effectiveness for organizations of all types in an increasingly diverse and increasingly complex world.
Whether you’re new to the workforce and looking for tips, or a seasoned professional striving to improve effectiveness, this book should be in your toolkit. Communication and collaboration are simple in concept, but often difficult in execution. If you’re looking to learn and improve through understanding, this book is key. Gemmill and Schoonmaker spent years unlocking the art and science behind effective collaboration. The result is surprising, informative, and will no doubt make you a stronger professional.
